Michael Kenna is one of the most important living black and white landscape photographers. A couple of years ago my daughter, Olivia, went to spend a summer in Argentina as an exchange student—our summer, their winter. I have found that atmosphere in many different locations. 4744 personas están hablando de esto. But, money aside, let’s face it, commercial work can be extremely challenging, strenuous and stressful, and I like to compete in that world from time to time. It took a full morning for a huge crane to haul two Mazerati cars onto a private yacht in the port of Genoa. His photos concentrate on the interaction between ephemeral atmospheric condition of the natural landscape, and human-made structures and sculptural mass. 12-sep-2018 - Explora el tablero "MICHAEL KENNA " de anea, que 125 personas siguen en Pinterest. The format (size, mainly) of the images may differ slightly, but even his commercial work does not seem to meander too far from his persistent style of offering the viewer a luxurious and often mysterious view into a scene, whether it be a landscape or a sporting event. One of my hobbies is long distance running. Usually I take the Michael Kenna is master of contemporary photography. Born in 1953 in Widnes, Lancashire, in northwest England, Michael finished his studies in 1976, moving to San Francisco in 1977 and eventually becoming the printmaker for Ruth Bernhard for many years. I am getting seasick lunging up and down on the cherry picker photographing a moving target from a moving platform, all the time looking through the camera, trying to direct the cars, the yacht, and the cherry picker. Are such labels of any use these days? All locations are meaningful in there own special ways. Michael Kenna exhibition. "Life is about turning up," he says. When you shoot commercial photography, to what degree are you in a different creative head space than when you shoot your own work? © 1989–2020 pictureline, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Everything else naturally follows. The inverse happens more frequently. Shoot Like Michael Kenna. 1973-76 London College of Printing, London, England. I like to be working on three or four projects at once, and even when these projects are supposedly finished I often continue working on them indefinitely. Any other projects that you are working on? How has the vision of your work changed from when you started to today? Creativity means being open, listening to what comes from within and without, which is very hard to do when you are looking at your watch. Global shipping available. Union dock workers decide to have a late lunch break in the middle of photographing. A facet of my work is about trying to simplify and slow down this fast-paced, chaotic mess we live in. He seems to be ever the optimist, looking toward the future as an interesting mystery, "seeing what is around the next corner." Michael Kenna (British, b.1953) is a photographer who was born in Widnes, England, and is best known for his photographs of black-and-white landscapes. Photography is immensely challenging, with a good deal of work, but I am thrilled to be a part of it. Michael Kenna is one of the most influential landscape photographer of his generation, photographing for 50 years, best known for his black & white landscapes. Oct 10, 2017 - Michael Kenna / Born 1953 in Widnes, Lancashire, England, best known for his black & white landscapes. Vol. In retrospect, the education was excellent, but the “career guidance” was pretty much non existent - it was a one track vocation school and prior to graduation I realized the priesthood was not for me. What he presents in the picture is suggested. Serious, like-minded photographers used to bond together in dogmatic schools and stylistic movements, much like painters. The night has vast potential for creativity. It is not something I’ve ever worked on consciously. Critics and viewers and writers have all described Michael Kenna's (www.michaelkenna.net) work in similar terms: "serene" "mysterious" "intimate" "humane" and "powerful." By being jet-lagged, he was awake enough to take a 2 a.m. photograph of a swing set, bracketing the image from 1/30th of a second to one hour. 1 No. There is often a sense of drama, a story about to be told, secrets revealed, actors about to enter onto the stage. Anyway, I mailed in applications for some photography courses and also some in graphic design. Commercial work is often a compromise between the thoughts and ideas of the client, the advertising agency and the photographer. What is your greatest enjoyment in your work? There are usually few people around and there isn't a constant annoying chatter in the air. Fortunately, I was pretty good at painting and when it came time to decide what to do after final exams, an art school seemed the natural choice. At other times I have worked clos Ïely with art directors and creative directors to produce creative collaborations based loosely on initial layouts presented to the clients. Is there a place you go for a regular creative exchange of ideas? ", Stay connected to Michael: Website | Facebook, Focus on Photographers - Steve McCurry I love being out at odd times of the day and night, experiencing the world in fascinating places where I would want to be even if I wasn't making photographs. Using the analogy of the theater, I would say that I like to photograph the empty stage, before or after the performance, even in between acts. What draws you to photograph at night and at dawn? What is your favorite place to photograph. Michael Kenna is no doubt a contemporary master at photography. Michael Kenna was born in Widnes, England in 1953. 1 / Fall 2003. Michael Kenna was born in Widnes, England in 1953. Nil Satis Nisi Optimum. It could easily be argued that many of the earlier photographers whose works are sold and traded as fine art now, were primarily commercial photographers in their time. Right now I am very interested in Japan. "Sometimes the most interesting visual phenomena occur when you least expect it. Being creative often means following a lead, working on half chances, half thoughts, coming up to dead ends and re tracking. It was while I was attending The Banbury School of Art in Oxfordshire, that I discovered photography. As a kid I was quite solitary, content for the most part with making up my own adventures and acting them out in the parks and streets of the small industrial town in which I grew up. His view that there is plenty of photographic material for him for a very long time reiterates his thirst to find new meaning in the scenes that currently exist in the world. 1 No. I don’t think so. His unique minimalist imagery has inspired many, and earned him a huge and loyal following. British photographer Michael Kenna (1953-present) is best known for his black-and-white landscape photography in which he often utilizes drawn-out exposure times, some up to 10 hours in length. He is represented in the United Kingdom by Huxley-Parlour gallery. Michael Kenna. Michael Kenna. Michael Kenna Landscape Photography - 332 For Sale at 1stDibs Global shipping available. I knew that I needed a profession where I could make a living and painting wouldn’t have provided enough security. I have a theory, which seems to work for me, that the best ideas come through thinking about something else! I think one can find this in photography and it can be an extremely satisfying and productive state of mind. by Anne Telford. I never understood those … Being creative for me often means photographing things in ways that might seem completely ordinary at the time but which may turn out to be extraordinary later. In my photographic work I’m generally attracted to places that contain memories, history, atmospheres and stories. On the one hand there were feelings of evil, hatred, oppression, cruelty, death, etc., on the other; optimism, beauty, innocence, happiness and life. Over a period of time the world changes; rivers flow, planes fly by, clouds pass and the earth's position relative to the stars is different. Such photographers have included Eugene Atget, Alfred Stieglitz, Charles Sheeler, Josef Sudek, and Bill Brandt (who had photographed many of the factories and mills near Kenna's hometown in England). Michael Kenna (born 1953) is an English photographer best known for his unusual black & white landscapes featuring ethereal light achieved by photographing at dawn or at night with exposures of up to 10 hours. I’m drawn to places and subject matter that have personal connections for me and I photograph in a way that seems right. I’m not so sure that those distinctions were actually made. Michael Kenna is one of the most acclaimed landscape photographers of his generation. Instead of filling the image with rich details, he follows the principle of “less is more,” leaving the blank part of the image to tell the visual story. I don’t see that lines should be drawn or divisions set. I think style is just the end result of personal experience. Short profile on the photography and techniques of Michael Kenna. Masters of Photography. JK: Tell me about the new book. I like to work with no time limits, nobody watching or asking questions, no phones, etc. "My photos are more like haiku than prose," said Kenna in a 2003 interview with Photographer's Forum, and he has often mentioned his desire to suggest with his photography, rather than describe. France Romagna Italy Prague Branik Station, Prague, Czechoslovakia, 1992 ISO: 800 F/Stop: 5.6 Shutter: 1/20 ISO: 100 F/Stop: 11 Shutter speed: 1/200 His exquisitely hand crafted black and white prints, which he still makes himself in his darkroom, reflect a sense of refinement, respect for history, and thorough originality. The production was superb - very Japanese. Known for clean compositions, long exposures and minimalist aesthetics, Kenna’s signature style remains … Michael Kenna's black and white medium format work has changed little in terms of format through his career, but his subject matter has moved, as he has said, from the obviously "beautiful" things such as Venetian gondolas and Parisian parks to different "landscape" matter such as that of Japan, industrial parks, and even Nazi concentration camps. Vi a un hombre que se hundía en la nieve para fotografiar un árbol solitario en una remota isla de Japón, Hokkaido. I liked to wander around in train stations and factories, on rugby grounds and canal towpaths, and in empty churches and graveyards - all locations that I would later find interesting to photograph. I love traveling and all that comes with it. Kenna's photography focuses on unusual landscapes with ethereal light achieved by photographing at dawn or at night with exposures of up to 10 hours. The photographer Ruth Bernhard used to tell me that this is like asking somebody how they evolved their signature. In my photography I try to be sensitive and responsive to whoever or whatever I meet. One reason Michael has stated that he came to America was that there were no galleries exhibiting photography at the time, a sentiment shared by many other British photographers. I always do the very best professional work I can do, have some fun, and am ultimately relieved and grateful that I can contribute to another semester of my daughter’s college education! Photographer Michael Kenna Critics and viewers and writers have all described Michael Kenna's (www.michaelkenna.net) work in similar terms: "serene" "mysterious" "intimate" "humane" and "powerful." I’m interested in the places where people have lived, worked and played. He works in the traditional, non-digital, photographic medium. It would be problematic for me to photograph in another style. When I was almost eleven years old I went to a Catholic seminary boarding school in England, to study to become a priest. This accumulation of time and events, impossible for the human eye to take in, can be recorded on film. In long distance running one talks about going into the “zone”, a point of total concentration and relaxation, both at the same time. What formal and informal education did you receive? Michael Kenna Biography. Traditionally, distinctions were made between fine art and commercial photographers. For example, in the mid eighties I began photographing Nazi Concentration Camps in Europe. Over a twelve year period I photographed in over thirty camps, and I often returned to the same camps several times. The theme of our issue is chameleons, which speaks to a natural ability to adapt to new environments. Japan / Buddha exhibition. Locations are like apples and oranges. Web Galleries RECENT PRINTS. Michael continues the tradition of printmaking, personally printing his own signature 8 x 8" black and white prints, which hang not only in scores of galleries in Europe, the United States, Australia, and Asia, but also in notable museums: the National Gallery in Washington, DC; the Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris; and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. As someone with experience in both worlds, what distinctions do you make? Nothing but the best is good enough. No and no. Share on Facebook Tweet Mail it The Lancashire-born master of minimalism has spent years honing his approach to landscapes. I find there is something therapeutic and hypnotic in this activity, similar to practicing landscape photography. And he mainly uses Hasselblad medium format and Holga cameras, accounting for the square format of most of his photographs. Kenna is particularly famous for the intimate scale of his photography and his meticulous personal printing style. While thinking about one thing, and being active at the same time, other ideas float in and out. I still like the dawn more than any other time of the day or night, but now I photograph at all hours. Shop original Michael Kenna photography from the world's best art galleries. PROFILE 1 by Anne Telford Photographing at night can be fascinating because we lose some of the control over what happens in front of the camera. Gallery Art Unlimited, Tokyo, Japan. I’m often asked why I don’t photograph locally and my answer usually relates to the difficulty of being spontaneous. The most unusual place you have photographed? I was accepted into a photography course first and didn’t bother showing up for any other interviews. Ginza Fugestudo, Tokyo, Japan. Since then, he has honed his night photography, finding that the night shadows leave more to interpretation, a philosophy somewhat in contrast with today's popularity of High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography. Are there other ways in which you are chameleon-like? Impossible to answer. But don’t feel sorry for me - I’m not forced to take these jobs. In his early years of education, he attended the Banbury School of Art, where he took up studies in painting and photography. Of course this seems clearer with hindsight. Kenna uses long exposure times and shoots in inclement weather to obscure the details of the vistas before him, instead emphasizing atmosphere, tonality, and form in his photographs. I would stay there for seven years. Morning light is often soft and diffused. My producer, pulling his hair out, is arguing with the crane operator, over the walkie talkies. Please check "Upcoming" for future exhibitions, publications, book signings and lectures. More recently, these lines seem to have blurred, even disappeared altogether. Michael Kenna has been influenced by many other photographers, even from his early years of working in selling the stock photography of some great photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson in London, England. I intensely dislike processing film - and fortunately there are some excellent labs around...Seeing the first proofs is always exciting, editing, making work prints, then the challenge of making final prints, even retouching the first print - all these stages are enjoyable and immensely satisfying. The whole process is satisfying for me. Focus on Photographers - Trevor Clark I don’t have any particular method to my madness. Composition: Michael Kenna looks for simplicity in his composition, moving closer or framing the subjects to get rid of extraneous objects. I look for traces of the past, visual fingerprints, evidence of activities - they fire my imagination and connect into my own personal experiences. Other clients have included those who wish to incorporate his refined black and white style into a very specific message, for clients such as British Railways, DHL, and HSBC, Bank of America, and even Adidas. Commercial work has given me valuable financial support to work on very personal and uncommercial projects. These floating ideas usually turn out to be the catalysts for my future projects. Michael Kenna December 2001 Jim Kasson interviewed Michael Kenna at his home in San Francisco. Even for the renowned artist in Kenna, he does not seem to shy away from commercial work, having photographed for most major brands of vehicles such Rolls Royce, Landrover, Maserati, Mercedes, Range Rover, Saab, Volvo, Audi, BMW, Infinity, Isuzu, and Jeep Chrysler, noting the pay is excellent and helps fund many other personal artistic endeavors. - Michael Kenna - on the question: "How did you evolve your style?" Michael Kenna comes alive in the hours when most are sleeping, in places time has not forgotten. 1964-72 St. Joseph’s College, Upholland, Lancashire, England If I’m asked a direct question related to photography I can sometimes give a reasonably intelligent reply but I try to avoid talking “shop” whenever possible. Eric Meola's Travel Images Since "Last Places on Earth". This can be an extremely stimulating process, depending on the chemistry between photographer and art director. With a career stretching more than 45 years, his work has been exposed in hundreds of exhibitions, and, to his count, he has published 72 books, with more in the works. There is no mistaking authorship of his photographs, they all bear the stamp of his unique, and poetic vision. Michael's work is strongly shaped by night photography, beginning with a first stab at the genre in 1977 in the Catskill Mountains. Rafu Japan, 2008-2018 Notre Dame France, 1987-2015 Birds. For the photographer, real can become surreal, which is exciting. Shop original Michael Kenna landscape photography from the world's best art galleries. My subject matter has clearly broadened, my understanding may have deepened and my concerns are perhaps a bit clearer, but that probably parallels the normal aging process. Michael Kenna's black and white medium format work has changed little in terms of format through his career, but his sub I felt that commercial photography could help me survive financially, landscape photography could be my hobby as well as a means of self expression. Michael Kenna is an English photographer, born in Widnes, Lancashire, who as a boy thought that he would become a priest, however, his passion for creativity led him in another direction. It is from those jobs that I have had the most cross over into my fine art work. As you can imagine, these two projects were almost polar opposites in atmosphere. A creative director on the yacht gives directions on triple expressos. It is important to be focused and concentrated, which for me usually means being solitary, away from distractions. A portfolio in the style of Michael Kenna More of Kenna's Art Older and more recent photos of Kenna's from all around the world. Treading between night and dawn- he captures the soul of crepuscular light. Some commercial work is amazing and some fine art work is extremely boring, but the reverse is equally true. I've been a long time fan of Michael Kenna and spent time analyzing his composition and post-processing techniques. Y … Large Prints. In this post, I'll be dissecting Kenna's photos, explaining why his I think his photos work, how it's done, and finally, show some of my attempts at incorporating his aesthetics into my photography. When trying to imitate anybody’s style we start by analysing their techniques, so when looking at Michael Kenna’s photography, this is what I saw.
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